Ever find yourself stumped on where to start? Have you walked into Sephora or Mac and been completely overwhelmed by not only the choices, but the prices? The truth is you don't need to spend a fortune on all sorts of beauty products from high end retailers to achieve a gorgeous polished look. Most makeup artists don't limit themselves to pricey products, because their cheaper cousins are just as good sometimes!

If you're just starting out with makeup, these are my favourite products and shades for you, and they are all incredibly affordable. The best part? The shades are universal and will compliment any skin tone!

Lets start with your canvas. The skin. My go to foundation is Revlon Colorstay. It lasts all day and has a different formula for each skin type. I always reach for the combination/oily bottle. For concealer it doesn't get any better than Revlon's Age Rewind eraser. It says its for under the eyes but I use it everywhere. The eraser tip makes it super easy for beginners to place where they want and blend it out. It is also amazing for a quick highlighting stick! Finish your face with a subtle matte bronzer in all the areas you want to contour. Your temples cheekbones for instance. Nyx Matte Bronzer in Light is the perfect dupe for Benefit's Hoola Bronzer.

Now its time to add some colour! Nyx Natural Palette is a dupe for Urban Decay's Naked Basics palette. I actually prefer this cheaper version though! Its important for every woman to have a matte shadow palette. If you're just starting out with shadows this is an amazing start. You can bring in the shimmer shadows later but this palette has everything you need to get started and play around. Moving on, the perfect blush is Nyx bush in Natural. Its the perfect shade of pink that is exactly as advertised, natural. It looks incredible on any woman's cheeks! Apply your blush to the apples of your cheeks. That fleshy area that protrudes when you smile!

Finish off the look with your brows and mascara. If you're feeling frisky, mix in some liquid eyeliner! I personally can't go outside without liquid liner! With practice its not as hard as it seems. But I digress. Never forget to sculpt your brows and fill them in with a pencil. I really like the Cover Girl Brow pencils. Just find your shade and then check out my Eyebrow post on how to fill them in! Finish with a black mascara on your top and bottom lashes to really open up and brighten your look. My favourite mascara EVER is Loreal Voluminous 24 Hour. I love it more than any high end label!

Oops! I almost forgot! You cant finish a look without some lip! I know lipsticks and glosses can be a little intimidating when starting out, so try Loreal Colour Riche Balm. That's exactly what it is, a balm. Just like your chapstick! Accept it has a gorgeous natural tint. The shade Tender Mauve is the perfect natural lip colour. It just enhances what you've already got! So pucker up baby!